


Darklight

by WhiteWolfAngeni



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Character Death, Gen, Nightmares, character resurection, shadow creatures
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-17
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-19 17:10:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1477492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteWolfAngeni/pseuds/WhiteWolfAngeni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aurora is a normal teenage girl past the age of belief when one can no longer see the figures of childhood. What happens when childhood grabs her by the hand and refuses to let go?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prolouge

It has long been said,

that on cold winter nights,

you might see him,

out of the corner of your eye.

A boy with snow white hair,

and icy blue eyes. 

And if you listen carefully

you just might hear

the wind whistling through the trees

whispering "Jack Frost is near."

 

 

"Again Momma. Read it again!"

"Gan, gan, gan."

"No. It is bed time for my little ones."

"But Mom"

"No buts. Into bed." The woman picked up the little boy and lifted him into bed. His older sister climbed into her own bed and waited for their mother to come tuck her in. Her mother came over and pulled the covers up to the girls chin. "Sleep well and if you are really good perhaps Jack Frost will leave and icy present on your window." The mother bent over and kissed her daughter's forehead. The girl squeezed her eyes shut. "Goodnight." The mother turned out the light.

Ice began to spread across their window, winding and twisting into beautiful patterns, spreading from the hand of a white haired youth.

"Mommy wake up! Jack Frost was here!" The girl ran downstairs. "Mommy come see!" The child squealed grabbing her Mother's hand and pulling her upstairs.

"Okay, Okay I'm coming."

"Look Mom Look!" The child pointed to the window. What the child saw was a beautiful picture made out of ice. What the Mother saw was just a window covered with ice.


	2. Chapter 1

It had been a year since the battle with Pitch. Since then everything had returned to normal. North was busy making toys. Christmas was two weeks away. Tooth was as busy as ever collecting teeth, Sandman worked on his dreams, and Bunny worked on painting eggs for Easter. Jack who did not have a major holiday to prepare for, was currently in the Warren helping Bunny. This was due to the Yeti kicking him out of the workshop. He was currently lost in thought painting an egg. He had painted it blue and was now painting white snowflakes on it. They weren't very springy but Bunny knew a few children he would give them to, and they really were quite beautiful. So Bunny let Jack continue his work.

"Jack why don't you stop for today. You have already helped me greatly." Bunny swept his paw over the large pile of specially decorated eggs Jack had made. "You should go visit your pal Jamie."

"Okay." Jack put down the paint brush. " Later Bunny." Jack grabbed his staff and ran off.

* * *

"Yahoo! Snow day!" Jamie Bennett ran out of his house with his sled.

"Jamie! Don't forget your hat!"

"Yes mom." he went back up to the house and stood as his mother adjusted his hat. "Bye mom." Jamie ran off.

"Be careful!"

* * *

Next door another person was getting ready to enjoy their snow day. She pulled on her boots, put on a jacket, slung her ice skates over her shoulder, and slowly tried sneaking out of the house. "Aurora Roselynn Callen. Where do you think you are going?" Came her Mother's voice from the kitchen.

"I'm going out." replied the 15 year old.

"Where?"

"Just to the woods."

"You aren't going skating are you?"

"Of course not."

"Aurora you know I don't like you going out there alone. What if you fall through the ice?"

"Got to go mom." Aurora ran out of the door before her Mother could say anymore. Once outside she took a deep breath reveling in the crisp winter air.

* * *

 "Hey Jack!" Jamie Bennett ran up to his icy friend.

"Hey kid."

"Thanks for the snow day!" 

"Of course. Now come on we are missing out on this beautiful day!" Jamie got on his sled. "Ready kid?"

"Ready."

* * *

 

Aurora sat at the edge of the frozen lake. She pulled on her skates and laced them up. She had already tested the ice and found it thick enough to hold her. She pushed off and began skating around the lake. She had put her head phones in and was listening to music as she skated. That's why she didn't notice Jamie Bennett hurtling towards her on his sled till it was too late. Jamie hit Aurora as she was skating and both slid into a snow bank. Jamie sat up out of the snow bank giggling. 

"Jamie Bennett what is your damage?" Jamie couldn't stop laughing. "And you!" She rounded on the white haired teen who was laughing along with Jamie. She pulled herself out of the snow. "He could have been hurt!" She huffed and stomped her foot in anger forgetting she had skates on and slipped onto her but. Jack and Jamie laughed even harder. Jamie abruptly stopped.

"Wait can you see him?"

"Of course I can. Now if you excuse me I am going home." She skated over to her shoes and after unlacing her skates, shoved them roughly on her feet and left the two guys.

She walked off a distance. She wasn't paying attention to where she was walking and the ground gave out under her feet. She screamed as she fell down into the earth.

* * *

 

Jack was still laughing. They heard Aurora scream. "Jack come on." Jamie started running towards where they heard the girl scream. They came to the edge of the hole she had fallen through. "Jamie stay here." Jack hopped into the hole.

* * *

 

 Aurora sat up and began feeling around in the darkness. "Ow" she had accidentally ran her hand over her skate and had cut it. She found she could stand up and began moving forward holding her arms out. She found as she moves along she was able to see better. It was as if the tunnel was getting brighter. She came to an open area. It was filled with hanging cages and a giant metal globe. One of the cages had snapped from it's chains and sat on the ground. Inside sat a shadowy figure huddled at the back. Aurora walked over to the cage. "Hello! Are you alive in there?" The figure turned, he looked surprised to see her looking at him. He crawled forward till he sat face to face with her. his hair and clothes were jet black and he had a piercing gaze. His face was long and taught. His stare gave her shivers as if he were gazing into her soul.

"Hey get away from him!" The white haired boy yelled. Aurora turned to him. When she took her eyes off of the figure in the cage, the figure reached out and grabbed onto her right forearm. His touch was freezing and if felt as if her very life drained out of her. she turned to look at him. A big smile like the cheshire cat swept across his face. Aurora slumped forward exhausted. The figure opened the cage and walked past her. "Pitch!"

"Hello Jack. Did you miss me?"

"How is this possible?" Jack pointed his staff at Pitch.

"I don't know but I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth." He motioned towards Aurora.

"No matter you were defeated once, we will do it again"

"We? Do you have a mouse in your pocket? It looks to me like you are alone." 

"So are you Pitch."

"Oh but I have my old friends. You remember them don't you Jack?" The nightmares began to form around him. Pitch's former tormentors had gone back to being under his control. "Get him" The nightmares rushed Jack. He tried to hold them back but they soon enveloped him. When he was finally able to overcome them Pitch was gone.

"Hey girl. Hey you wake up." Jack tried shaking Aurora awake. Maybe it was due to his own coldness but the girl seemed awfully cold. Jack picked her up and flew her out of the tunnel.

"Jack what happened?"

"I don't know. Pitch..."

"Pitch is back!" Jamie screeched.

"It seems so."

"Did he do this to Aurora?" 

"I'm afraid so."

"What do we do?"

"You go home Jamie. I'm going to take her to North's, see if any of the guardians know what to do." Jack floated up into the air.

"Good luck Jack."

"Thanks Jamie. Stay safe."

"I will." Jamie turned and headed back. Jack didn't want to leave him especially with Pitch out there. Jamie had helped defeat pitch which meant Pitch might want revenge on him as well as the other guardians. He still had time though, Pitch was less likely to try anything until nightfall. They would have time to prepare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I am not going to give chapter summaries cause i am not really good at it and give spoilers  
> Bit of background just in case it gets confusing. I am going off the premise that once you hit puberty you are past the age of belief when you can no longer see the figures of childhood. however there are some who see without believing and never lose the ability to see.


	3. Chapter 2

"She's so cold." Toothfairy said as she held the girls hands.

"Jack you did the right thing bringing her here." North had built a large fire in the room to add some warmth. The girl was under several blankets and yet she grew colder by the minute. Jack stayed at the far side of the room to avoid making her colder. Sandman cycled through images over his head.

"I told you what I saw. The girl saw him, talked to him. Pitch is the reason she is like this." North stroked his beard.

"Maybe Pitch is starting to be believed in again?"

"I don't think so mate." Bunny said. He had finally arrived. "She is the reason he regained his strength."

"How?"

"It is very rare but sometimes children are born with the ability to see us whether or not they actually believe in us. When they get older, past the age of belief, they still can see us. That is the case with Aurora Callen, the girl you have lying there."

"I have heard the stories as well, but this thing with Pitch, it is impossible."

"Or is it? None of us have actually come into contact with one of these children before."

"So we will just have to catch Pitch and make him give back what he took."

"Easier said than done. She probably will not last the night." North said.

"There has to be something we can do?"

"It is up to Man in Moon now. All we can do is keep her comfortable and hope. In the meantime we will keep an eye out for Pitch." The older guardians all left. Jack looked back at the girl. He couldn't help but feel this was somehow his fault. Jack left to join the others in the search for Pitch.

After he left the room was bathed in moonlight. Aurora's skin became pale, her hair and eyes turned silver, and she woke up.

* * *

Where am I? Who am I? She sat up.  _Darklight_. she thought she heard a voice say. "Who is Darklight?" No answer. "Is that me?" No spoken response but she had a gut feeling that this was her identity. She climbed out of bed. She walked over to the door, her footsteps so light they didn't make a sound. She opened the door. There were these tall being covered from head to toe in fur. They stood as if they were guarding the room she was in. Was she a prisoner? She saw that a shadow extended from one of the beings toward the door. Without thinking she melded with this shadow as naturally as breathing. She traveled as a shadow down a hall towards a great open room. There were people there talking. She traveled as shadow across the floor. Before she could make it fully across the room she was spotted by the furry one.

"Pitch!" He must have been male due to the tone of his voice. He reached for something on his back, boomerangs. He threw it at her and the end stuck to the floor, pinning her in her place. "Wrong move coming here what with all of us gathered here. We will make you give back what you took." All of their weapons were pointed at her. Darklight rose from the shadows. All of the beings in the room looked shocked.

"Aurora?" said a young white haired boy.

"I am Darklight. Do you know me? I can't seem to remember anything before waking up in this...place." The group looked at one another. They were pretty hesitant to answer her question.

"Why don't you come with me back to your room." A woman with feathers all over her said.

"Okay." They left for her room. When they were out of earshot of the others Darklight turned to her. "Am I a prisoner?"

"What? no!" The woman stammered.

"Then why am I here and why are there guards outside of my room?"

" You are here because you needed our help. The guards are there to keep you safe. I can talk to North and see if you can get out and explore the workshop but for now just please stay here and rest." The woman closed the door behind her.

* * *

" How is this even possible? Those powers, there the same as Pitch's."

"Let us ask Manny. He will know." North turned towards the moon. "Man in Moon what is this Darklight?" The crystal used to communicate with the Man in the Moon rose out of the floor. In the crystal was an image of Pitch. Then it turned to Aurora. It flipped between the two images so fast it looked like they were melding together until it stopped showing Aurora in her new form as Darklight. The crystal glowed signifying a new guardian had been chosen.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it is short.


	4. Chapter 3

"Darklight what an interesting choice for a name."

"What does her name have to do with this?"

"It is a clue to her center. Darklight...a light in the Dark." 

The guardian were heading to Darklight's room. Before they made it to the room Phil the yeti came running towards them. He was talking fast making his already hard to understand language even harder to understand. "Phil slow down. Try again." Phil spoke again this time slower. North ran to Darklight's room. It was empty and the window was open.

"Where could she have gone?"

"Let's spread out and search the area. She couldn't have gone far." Bunny  suggested. Jack noticed something on the floor. He reached down to pick it up.

"I think I know where she is going." Jack held a picture of Aurora and her little brother standing outside their home.

* * *

The Darkness of night allowed her to travel from North's workshop to her destination in little to no time. She went to the house in the picture. A woman stood in the doorway. She looked worried. "Aurora where are you?" The woman whispered. Darklight melted into the shadows and slipped inside before the woman shut the door.

"Momma when is Aurora coming home?"

"I don't know sweety. Come on lets get you into bed." The woman and the child went upstairs. Darklight rose from the shadows in the living room. There were pictures on the mantle. In many of then was a girl that looked just like her. She heard the woman coming back down and panicked. She grabbed one of the pictures and ran outside closing the door behind. She was running while looking behind her, and heard a dog bark which startled her. She stumbled, and the person walking the dog walked right through her as if she didn't exist.

"Quiet Roxy." The man said to the dog which was still barking at her. Terrified Darklight ran into the woods till she came upon the small lake. Darklight dropped to her knees and tears fell from her eyes.

Jack flew and landed nearby. he watched the crying girl from the woods. Bunny popped up next to him. They saw nightmares closing in on the girl. Jack moved ready to aid her.

"Wait watch." Bunny said. The nightmares were starting to fall apart, The black sand floating near her and condensing in a cloud. The black cloud began to reshape into the form of a horse with wings. The dust creature sneezed shaking the dust off of it's head revealing a living creature underneath. Darklight stopped crying and looked up. It was such a small horse, just a young filly. It shook the rest of it's body ridding itself of the rest of the dust. The creature tried to take a step forward on it's wobbly legs. It's wings were too large for it's body and it wobbled unbalanced. Darklight giggled at the poor thing as she tried to help it up. 

Bunny and Jack weren't the only one's watching. A nightmare that had kept it's distance from Darklight, ran off to inform it's master of what it had just seen.

* * *

 "Aurora...err Darklight." Jack left his hiding spot.

"You...you're one of those people who held me captive." She stood protectively in front of the filly.

"You weren't a captive." Darklight looked confused. "Nice picture." He pointed at the picture in her hands.

"Do you know who she is?"

"Yes. She is you or was. Aurora Callen. You lived with your Mother and younger brother." Jack came forward with a golden tube. "These are your memories." Having learned from what happened with Jack, Tooth thought ahead and grabbed Aurora's baby teeth.

"Jack held the vessel out to Darklight. "How do I know this is not a trick?"

"You don't. You can either trust me or not it is your choice." Curiosity overcame Darklight and she took the tube from Jack. Immediately she was flooded by childhood memories.

[ _"Mama, Mama look it's Jack Frost!" A small little red haired girl cried. The child pointed outside the window at a young white haired youth sitting in a tree._

" _Oh honey you have such an active imagination."_

" _No mom he's real. He is sitting right in that tree."_

_"Aurora there is no one in the tree." Her mom left the room._

_"But he's right there."_ ]

[ _A little boy was crying. "Hey Josh. Another nightmare?"_

_"Mmhm." The little boy climbed into her arms. "The darkman."_

_"Oh him again." She walked over to her room and came back with a small LED candle and a flashlight. While the boy already had a nightlight there were some places in the room the light did not touch. She used the flashlight to check under his bed and in the closet. She left the LED in the closet opening. " No Darkman."_

_"He left already. He always leaves when you come in."_

_"That's because he's afraid of your big bad sister." She jumped onto his bed and started tickling him._

_"Aurora stop!" He screamed mid giggle. She stopped tickling him and let him back up. They transitioned to making shadow puppets with the flashlights._ ]

[ _"Jamie Bennet what is your damage?" A boy and the youth from her memories laughed at her. She stomped off and fell down a hole. She found a person in a cage._

 _"Don't touch him!" The white haired youth yelled. The person in the cage grabbed her. She passed out. The last part of her memory was of waking bathed in moonlight._ ]

Darklight gasped for breath.  "Whoa nelly. take your time." Someone held her up from behind. "Jack you..." She pointed at Jack. "You're Jack Frost! I remember you!" She spun around. "And you're the Easter Bunny?" Bunny nodded. "And I..." Her face grew solemn. " I died!" She sat down on the ground hard. "I'm a zombie."

"I wouldn't go that far." Bunny said. The little winged horse came up and nudged her face with it's nose. She hugged the little creature. "Let's get back to the workshop." Bunny suggested. Jack held out his hand to Darklight in order to help her up. She took his hand and stood.

"No Bunny wait!" A hole opened up under her and Jack. They tumbled into the hole. The filly nervously stepped in after them but ended up tumbling down the hole herself. Bunny looked around before entering into the hole after them.

Pitch stood hidden in the darkness of the forest. "What a curious girl." A nightmare came up next to him. He looked up to the moon. "You have made your move. Now it's my turn. Let's see how your new little guardian holds up."


	5. Chapter 4

Darklight screamed as she tumbled down the tunnel. Both she and Jack tumbled out together and slid on a patch of ice jack created. She landed on top of him. "Welcome back." They both looked up at Tooth Fairy. There was a noise as the little filly tumbled out of the hole. Bunny came out of the hole with more dignity, except he slipped on the patch of ice. Both Jack and Darklight broke into a fit of laughter. They looked at each other. That is when Darklight remembered where she was and who she was on top of. She quickly pushed herself up off of Jack and began nervously straitening her clothes. Jack just looked at her confused.

"Welcome back!" North went to hug her. he caught her in his bear like hug. She sank into shadow and slipped out of his grasp, reforming next to Jack. Bunny chuckled . Not many can worm their way out of North's grasp. North ignored it and continued on.

"Take the little horse to the stables." He instructed one of the Yeti's who, noticing the filly still wasn't stable on her feet yet, gingerly carried the young horse to the stables. Darklight watched until the Yeti and filly had left the room. She had just made her and now they were taking her away. Then she realized just who she was in the room with. Slightly scared and shy she moved closer to Jack.

"Now it is time to get to business." North rolled up his sleeves. Darklight looked at Jack in Panic. He just smiles at her. The little man (she guessed sandman based off of the sand above his head) started making pictures above his head. They were going so fast she couldn't tell what he was trying to say but he looked happy. The Tooth Fairy and Bunny were also really happy. What kind of people are these?

North just pulled out a book and opened it, gingerly flipping through the pages. "Darklight you have been chosen as new guardian. Will you accept and take the oath?" Everyone in the room turned to look at her, even Jack. She raised her hand. "Yes?"

"Quick question. What is a guardian?" "A guardian is what we are." Explained Tooth Fairy. " We don't just make toys, hide eggs, or collect teeth. We do these things for the children in order to protect their memories, dreams, joys, and wonder. It is the most important job as a guardian."

"You have been chosen by Man in Moon to join us."

"No." They all looked at her. "At least not yet. I am not saying I won't help you defeat Pitch. On the contrary, I created the mess I will help pick it up, but I am not ready to be a new guardian."

"If Man in moon says you are ready, you are ready."

"No. I will take the oath only when I am sure of myself. I need to prove to myself that I am ready." North closed the book.

"We will wait till you are ready."

"Thank you." She nodded.

"Well I'm off I have eggs to paint. Call me if Pitch shows his face." Bunny tapped his foot and disappeared into his hole. The other guardian also left save North and Jack.

"Are you staying or going Jack?"

"Going just gonna wait till she gets settled."

"You don't have to wait I will be fine."

"Go Jack you have responsibilities. We have things under control." North said.

"Alright later kid." Jack said as he left.

"Later Jack."


End file.
